Best option for GUTENBERG? /free ebooks

[RodRiquez]

Hi there,

I've had some bad experiences with DRM & paid digital downloads, so first up I absolutely will not pay for digital content - If I want a book, music or movie I buy a physical copy.

Now with that out of the way ~

After discovering Project Gutenberg! there is a whole world of classic works I would like to explore & it seems an eReader would be a good way to do this.
I don't own a mobile phone or touch screen device, so this will be a new purchase.

The primary use would be to read free Gutenberg or other free ebooks at night in bed; browse Gutenberg & read with the minimum of hassle (So I'd like to avoid getting up to convert files & connect USB cables, etc.)

I imagine the device would need wi-fi (of course) & probably a web browser & dictionary would be useful - but otherwise im not interested in apps like email or messenger - I won't use them at all.

I am not adverse to a Kindle, but I heard it does not support .epub easily which is the entire point - it may make a Kindle a bad option - perhaps I am wrong?
or maybe I'm better off with a Android Tablet? What do you suggest?

I like it to be a cheaper option under ¥10,000 (£80?) if possible.

I am probably asking too much or my usage doesn't exist - but I thought I would ask anyway - thanks for your time & help!

[Quoth]

Calibre (MacOS, Windows, Linux). Import DRM free "Kindle"/Mobi or epub and output as desired, even after fixing paragraph style, punctuation, fonts.

Kindle costs more if Advert free. The Kobo Libra may be a bit over £80, but Kobo has better annotation than Kindle (Kobo Utilities on Calibre, though Annotation option on Calibre does support Kindle and Kobo) and the 7" 300 dpi is superior to 6".

Gutenberg supplies mobi, a Kindle format, and epub2 for almost every book. Sometimes I find the mobi+images better than epub version and convert it to epub. I have all the ebooks in my Calibre Library as epub2 and also "dual mobi", which works on old Kindles as KF7 and on later Kindles as KF8=azw3 via "publisher option" under fonts. Or sometimes automatically, but with Kindle substitute fonts.

See also Apprentice Alf plug in for Calibre, for YOUR OWN bought ebooks.

Not all Amazon ebooks have DRM, if saved via PC download for USB transfer.

Never use direct eBook reader to a bookstore, always download to PC and transfer via USB.

Don't buy Google Playstore ebooks even if the Publisher requested DRM free.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Don't buy Google Playstore ebooks even if the Publisher requested DRM free.

Why? If the publisher requested DRM-free, then they will download as DRM-free epubs. I've bought many.

[RodRiquez]

Thanks Quoth for your very useful info. (Great avatar btw)

I should have increased my budget a little, but the forum wouldn't allow an edit, so £120-ish is fine. I saw a basic Kindle for £80 & the paperwhite for £116 on my regional Amazon store - both being the 'No Ads' version which I would prefer.

I had assumed USB transfer with computer an unnecessary step for a device with wifi.
Why do you say never do that?

[Galunid]

I'd suggest Kobo Clara HD/Kobo Nia. Nia is cheaper, but it has lower resolution and doesn't have warmth adjustment (orange leds). Both are able to run KOReader where you can download the books directly from Guttenberg when https://github.com/gbnewby/gutenbergsite/issues/10 gets fixed ^_^

I own Clara HD for ~6 months, and I'm really happy with it so far.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Galunid

I'd suggest Kobo Clara HD/Kobo Nia. Nia is cheaper, but it has lower resolution and doesn't have warmth adjustment (orange leds). Both are able to run KOReader where you can download the books directly from Guttenberg when https://github.com/gbnewby/gutenbergsite/issues/10 gets fixed ^_^.

You can download Gutenberg books directly to Kobos using the web browser. You don’t need KOReader.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by RodRiquez

I had assumed USB transfer with computer an unnecessary step for a device with wifi.
Why do you say never do that?

Of course you can do that. Some people just don't want their ereader to be connected to the internet, ever. That's a personal quirk.

[4691mls]

Or you can download the books on your computer and then copy them over to your ereader via USB. No wifi required on the ereader to do it this way.

[4691mls]

Doesn't Gutenberg.org have Kindle versions of their books? I don't have a Kindle myself but I thought I'd seen Kindle options when browsing Gutenberg.

[DNSB]

Personally, I don't let Gutenberg books on my ereaders until I have cleaned them up. The layout, CSS, file structure tend to be atrocious. Who creates an epub with 5 files containing 3.5 chapters each?

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

Doesn't Gutenberg.org have Kindle versions of their books? I don't have a Kindle myself but I thought I'd seen Kindle options when browsing Gutenberg.

Yes, they do.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by RodRiquez

Hi there,

I've had some bad experiences with DRM & paid digital downloads, so first up I absolutely will not pay for digital content - If I want a book, music or movie I buy a physical copy.

Now with that out of the way ~

By the way, DRM can be removed (at least from ebooks, not sure about other digital content). It may not be legal in many countries, but if you do it for your own personal use and don't share your ebooks with other people, no one will know or care. Once you've removed the DRM, you can back your ebooks up to your heart's content, so that you will never lose them, and read them on whatever device you choose. You will not be dependent on any store. Google Apprentice Alf on DRM and how to deal with it.

[Section8]

Another source for free, public domain ebooks is the mobileread library here. See the "E-books" link on the top navigation bar.

[barryem]

I realize I'm in the minority here but I do a lot of my reading on a smartphone using the Moon+ reader app. There are a lot of other apps that'll work about as well.

I realize you said you don't have a smartphone but I've bought a very cheap second phone ($20 refurbished) to read with at home so I don't use up the battery in my regular phone. I don't have service on it. I just use Wifi. Moon+ has the ability to browse Gutenberg as well as other sites and to download free books so I don't even need a web browser, although actually I buy most of my books from Amazon and remove the DRM to read them in Moon+.

This will work as well on a tablet although tablets with decent screens for reading cost a bit more than smartphones and, being bigger, they won't fit in a shirt pocket. Personally I prefer the small size of the phone. It's text is slightly wider than a newspaper column so I think it's a good size for reading.

There is the problem of the backlight, which is a bit hard on my eyes. I've found that if I stop reading to rest my eyes for about a minute every 20 or 30 minutes that isn't a problem. If I don't, my eyes begin to water and go out of focus. That isn't a problem with a Kindle or Kobo. But to me it's a small problem. I stop that often to think about what I'm reading anyway.

This isn't the solution for everyone but I've been doing it for a year or two now and I like it.

Barry

[RodRiquez]

Originally Posted by Galunid

I'd suggest Kobo Clara HD/Kobo Nia.

Thanks Galunid, I took a closer look & the Clara looks really nice. That's a strong contender for me now.